Texas has gotten off to an early start in spring football. The Longhorns held their first of 15 allowed practices on Thursday.

Coach Mack Brown said that one point of emphasis this spring will be getting the offense up to speed—literally. The Longhorns don’t plan to run their offense with the speed of Oregon’s, but it does want to push the pedal. He wants a balanced offense with a faster tempo.

Back in 2009, with the offense run by quarterback Colt McCoy, UT average 75.2 plays per game. That’s still fewer than Baylor, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and West Virginia last year.

To achieve the pace, Brown told the Statesman that the offense would have fewer formations and fewer substitutions, both of which puts the defense in a difficult spot.

One advantage of starting—and ending—early is that players have more time to heal from offseason surgeries and injuries.

Brown said on Thursday that linebacker Demarco Cobbs will miss spring workouts due to a knee injury sustained near the end of last season. Cobbs, a junior, started six of 11 games last season and collected 35 tackles.

Also out for the spring is starting guard Trey Hopkins as he continues to recover from a stress fracture in his right leg.

Finally, Jackson Jeffcoat will be limited, Brown said, as the starting defensive lineman recovers from a ruptured pectoral muscle sustained in October.